The Hobbit: Two Posters

It’s been more than a decade since director Peter Jackson’s acclaimed adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” first hit the screen with “The Fellowship of the Ring.” Fans have been waiting eagerly through years of development and delays to see Jackson’s vision for the series’ prequel, “The Hobbit.” And in a few short months, the first half of Jackson’s two-part adaptation will open in theaters.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” chronicles the quest of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) to help a band of dwarves recover a lost treasure from the dragon Smaug (Freeman’s “Sherlock” co-star Benedict Cumberbatch). Bilbo is recruited for the task by the wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), and he accompanies 13 dwarves led by the warrior Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) to reclaim their treasure.

Along the way he crosses all manner of mystical creatures including Gollum (Andy Serkis), who possesses a gold ring that could change Middle-earth forever.

So far, two posters have been released for the film.

The first one depicts Gandalf, donning his signature grey robes with his staff in hand, as he walks down a hill while the sun peeks through an overcast sky.

Though it’s exciting to see McKellen back in his Gandalf garb again, I’m partial to the second poster.

Shot from a tilted angle, it shows Bilbo walking through the round door of his home, out into the world. The sun is again peeking through the clouds, casting Bilbo’s shadow on the ground. It’s a pretty striking image, and I like the vision of Bilbo walking away from the security of his home and toward his courageous journey.